


Going Steady

by Hekate1308



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Artist Castiel, M/M, Police Officer Dean Winchester
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-14
Updated: 2019-02-14
Packaged: 2019-10-28 03:23:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17779661
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hekate1308/pseuds/Hekate1308
Summary: Dean Winchester had always known that in order to preserve what he chose to call the freedom of choice, rather than his brother who persisted in naming it “a profound fear of commitment”, he would have to make sure that both he and his current partner would have to abide by certain rules, and until now, it had always worked. And then Cas had come along. Destiel Valentines Story.





	Going Steady

**Author's Note:**

> Have a wonderful Valentine's Day, and enjoy!

Dean Winchester had always known that in order to preserve what he chose to call the freedom of choice, rather than his brother who persisted in naming it “a profound fear of commitment”, he would have to make sure that both he and his current partner would have to abide by certain rules, and until now, it had always worked. No sleep-overs, no meeting the family, and no anger if one happened not to be available.

It wasn’t that he was against a monogamous lifestyle per se, or that he never wanted to get married; it just happened to be easier for him not to have to consider a partner in the mix. His work as a homicide detective kept him busy, and he had to be the world’s best uncle and most awesome BFF to boot.

So really, he had no time for romantic entanglements.

Cas, when he had first met him, had enthusiastically agreed with him. Really, they were a match made in heaven; the cop who now and then felt the need to burn off some energy after a long shift and the artist who was up at all times of the day and night anyway.

Not that you would have guessed from looking at Cas. The guy invariably wore a trench coat and what seemed to be the same suit, and he never had his hair under control. Although part of that might have had to do with Dean spending a got part of their time together running his hands through it (so he had a thing for dark-haired man. Sue him). He’d more than once contemplated sending him to Crowley or Charlie for fashion advice, but the last thing he needed was them ganging up on him.

So far so good. A hot guy agreed to be Dean’s friend with benefits six months ago, and ever since then, he hadn’t had the time or need to go out looking for one-night stands.

Great. Everything was going great.

Apart from the fact that… well…

Somewhere along the line, the rules had been thrown out the window. For example, they spent most of their nights together, switching between apartments.

And there was this slight hiccup where Dean just happened to accompany Cas to his brother’s wedding last month. It wasn’t his fault that he didn’t have a plus one and asked him, now, was it? And he looked damn good in a tux. Cas had just needed some arm candy.

Not that his family seemed to have agreed. Dean was invited to Amelia’s birthday party in two weeks’ time.

Cas hadn’t said anything against it, though. Just like Dean, he had never done much to enforce the rules.

Again, so far so good. After all, if they were in agreement, and it seemed that they were, why should he care too much about the rules?

It only left him with a slight dilemma concerning Valentine’s Day. Because, well, Valentine’s Day was very much about couples and commitment, wasn’t it? At least if he happened to be seeing someone, and Dean and Cas certainly saw each other… regularly…

“Darling, I am not exactly the poster child for functioning relationships. What made you think it would be a good idea to ask me about this?”

He rolled his eyes. “Because you’re a lawyer, Crowley, and if I ask Sam, I’ll only get another lecture.”

“Which you won’t be getting if he finds out you asked me for advice instead of him?”

Dean sighed. Having a fling with one of Sam’s colleagues or rather rivals might not have been the best of ideas, but it had been fun and Crowley was still one of his best friends. “I just don’t want to screw things up, you know?”

He realized he’d said the wrong thing when Crowley actually put his glass of Craig down. “Say that again.”

“I – I don’t want to screw things up.”

“Dean Winchester. Are you telling me you actually  _want_  to be with him?”

“Well, I – I don’t want things to end” he said rather lamely.

“Come on. You have never been one to lie to yourself” Crowley pointed out correctly. “You know exactly what you want, you just don’t wish to admit it.”

“If I had wanted to hear the truth, I’d have gone to Sam.”

“No, you’d still have come to me, Squirrel, we both know you can’t help yourself where I am concerned.”

“Don’t I know it” he replied, winkling at him.

Crowley grinned back. “Now, are we going to be adults about this or not?”

Dean sighed. “Didn’t think you’d ever jump on the  _get Dean Winchester off the market_  train.”

“Oh, trust me, that’s the last train I would ever willingly leave town on but” Crowley shrugged. “You have been very happy lately. Tehri is no denying that. So, despite my burning jealousy, I have to admit he’s good for you.”

He didn’t exactly look like he was dying of a broken heart.

“Alright” Dean said. “I’m going to invite him to dinner on Valentine’s Day, make my patented burgers…”

“He won’t stand a chance” Crowley deadpanned.

“And then I’m just going to tell him that I’d like us to be exclusive.”

“Shakespeare himself couldn’t come up with a more romantic proposal.”

“We didn’t say anything about proposing to him yet.”

“Next year, then. Good to know.”

Sometimes, Dean wondered if all his friends happened to be slightly insane by accident or if he wasn’t strictly speaking normal himself.

* * *

Cas accepted his invitation with that gentle smile of his that made his eyes look up, and Dean dared hope it would all end well.

After all, he had the evidence to proof that Cas was into him, right? He certainly raised no objection to them spending so much time together, and he’d enjoyed dancing with him at the wedding, Dean was sure.

And Cas loved his burgers, he’d shown him that often enough.

So Dean bought the best meat he could find and prepared himself for Valentine’s Day.

And if he just happened to buy more condoms too, well, he just happened to be a hopeless romantic.

* * *

“Hello, Dean.”

“Hey, Cas” he said, kissing him as he let him in. They had not yet exchanged keys, but if everything worked out… “How did it go?”

Cas had been negotiating the terms for another one of his exhibitions. Dean had accompanied him to the opening nights of his last two, and they had been successes. Of course they had. If you asked Dean, Cas was the most talented artist of their generation.

Then again, he might have been a bit biased.

“Good. The exhibition is going to open next month.”

“Hell yeah. Knew it would.”

Cas smiled at him, then frowned. “Is everything alright?”

Dean sighed; of course he’d noticed. “Got a case today. Open and shut, but… domestic violence.”

Cas winced, then drew him in his arms. “I’m sorry.”

“Yeah, well…” It struck Dean that it probably wasn’t very romantic to tell him about something like this on Valentine’s Day. “It’s good to see you” he said honestly.

Cas pulled back, smiling. “It’s good to see you too.”

Another point for the He is going to say yes side.

Dean grinned. “I made burgers.”

“I love your burgers.”

“I know.” Dean almost let an And I love you slip out, then thought better of it.

They ate mostly in silence, apart from Cas’ moans that really did nothing to calm Dean’s heart.

“These make me very happy” Cas told him at one point.

“I’m glad” he answered, wishing he could hold hid hand, but Cas had both firmly wrapped around the bun. It would have to wait.

Eventually, they were finished and Dean got out the champagne. Perhaps not exactly the subtlest of gestures, but he wasn’t going for subtle. He was going all out for  _happily ever after_.

“You are spoiling me” Cas told him as they were cuddling on the sofa.

“Yeah, well…” Dean cleared his throat. “Cas, there is something I have to tell you.”

He stiffened. That wasn’t good.

“It’s nothing – bad, I promise.” Man, where was the speech he’d prepared for this? He’d decided he was going to be suave and charming, but apparently it wasn’t to be. Well, he’d have to go with honesty. “We’ve been doing this for a while.”

“Six months, three days, ten hours and” Cas looked at his watch “Seventeen minutes.”

Wow.

“Yeah, and so I was wondering… I like you a lot. I just wanted to ask if we could, you know, try the whole boyfriend thing. Being exclusive. Going steady.” There. He’d said it.

Cas was looking at him with wide eyes and as the seconds ticked by, Dean decided that the chances of this ending well were dwindling, so he tried to backpedal. “I mean we don’t have to, what we have is just fine by me –“

But then his lap was full and Cas was kissing him and then he whispered “Yes” against his lips.

“Yes?” Dean asked stupidly.

“Yes, Dean. I would love to be your boyfriend.”

Well, he decided as he took Cas’ hand and led him to the bedroom, that had been easier than he had anticipated.

* * *

“Dean?” his boyfriend (boyfriend) asked the next morning at breakfast.

“Yeah, Cas?” he asked, immediately pretending that he hadn’t just dreamily watched him making coffee.

“Can I ask you something?”

“You just did.”

He threw him a mock-glare. “I meant another question, Mr. Teacher.”

Dean raised an eyebrow.

“Stop distracting me”.

“I am not distracting you.”

“Yes you are” Cas grumbled. “It’s unfair how good you look in the morning.”

Dean grinned. Cas was not a morning person, but he wouldn’t have him any other way. “I can try and look uglier, if you want me to.” He didn’t care that he was probably looking like the cat that got the cream., Mostly because that was exactly how he felt.

“Why yesterday?”

Dean frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Why did you decide to ask me to “go steady”” got his quoty fingers shouldn’t have looked as adorable as they did “yesterday of all days?”

Dean blinked. “Dude, you know.”

“No I don’t, that’s why I am asking.”

“Cas, it was February 14.”

Cas tilted his head to the side. “And?”

Sometimes, Dean could swear that Cas lived on another planet. “Valentine’s Day? You know?”

“Oh.” Cas thought about that for a moment. “I didn’t realize. I just thought you wanted us to have a nice evening together, as usual.”

“But you’re not… mad or anything, are you?”

Maybe it was a bit late to remember Cas ranting how some holidays were just overhyped opportunities for people to fool others into buying stuff they didn’t need.

“No. Oh God, no” Cas kissed him, then grimaced. “It’s only going to be rather cliché to tell people that Valentine’s Day is our anniversary.”

“Oh I am sorry, Mr. Great Artist, I will make certain to propose at a more exclusive date.”

They looked at one another, the blushed and tried to change the subject.

**One year later**

Despite the jokes Crowley loved to make, Dean was not going to propose on Valentine’s Day. There was no reason to even celebrate it. Technically, their anniversary lay six months before that date anyway.

So, when he came home to find Cas having made dinner, he didn’t think much of it. They took turns cooking anyway.

But later, as he was putting away the dishes after having washed them despite Cas’ protests, his boyfriend cleared his throat. “Dean?”

“Yes?”

He turned around to find him kneeling down, holding a small box.

And as cliché as it sounded, he was pretty sure his heart skipped a beat. “Cas? You do know what day it is?”

“Our anniversary” he said simply.

Oh, of course he knew. But what did Dean care whether they acknowledged the date or not?

It was far more important to answer.

“Come up here, I need to kiss my fiancé.”


End file.
